PRIOR TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CPPO IN 1974, THE HOME OFFICE LACKED A FACILITY FOR SYSTEMATIC POLICY PLANNING BASED ON THE OPERATIONAL SERVICES OF THE POLICE, PRISONS, PROBATION, AND COURTS. POLICY PLANNING IS CONSIDERED TO MEAN THE IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES, THE DEFINITION OF OBJECTIVES, AND THE ANALYSIS OF MEANS FOR ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVES. A MAJOR PROBLEM IN PLANNING HAS BEEN THE BROAD SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES THE HOME OFFICE ENGAGES IN AND THE VARYING AMOUNTS OF AUTHORITY THE OFFICE HAS OVER THE MANY COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE HOME OFFICE BREAKS DOWN INTO INDIVIDUAL AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH THE CIVIL SERVICE HIERARCHY. UNDER THE PERMANENT SECRETARY THERE ARE THREE DEPUTY SECRETARIES, UNDER WHOM ARE A NUMBER OF UNDER SECRETARIES WHO OVERSEE THE POLICE, CRIMINAL, PRISON, AND PROBATION AND AFTERCARE DEPARTMENTS. IN ADDITION THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SERVICE UNITS AND ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENTS. PRIOR TO THE CPPO, THE OFFICE HAD RELIED ON OVERVIEWS OF THE MINISTERS AND SENIOR OFFICIALS AND THE TRADITIONAL LIAISONS BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS TO DEVELOP POLICY. IN ESTABLISHING THE CPPO A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS HAD TO BE RESOLVED. THESE INCLUDED THE INTEGRATION OF THE CPPO INTO THE EXISTING HOME OFFICE ORGANIZATION, STAFFING, AND THE NATURE OF POLICY PLANNING. IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE CPPO ORGANIZATION SHOULD COMPRISE A COMMITTEE STRUCTURE WHICH REFLECTS THE ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE HOME OFFICE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME DIMINISHING THE CONSTRAINTS ON POLICY COORDINATION THAT DERIVE FROM SHARPLY DEFINED BOUNDARIES WITHIN THE OFFICE. CONSEQUENTLY THE WORKING COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF UNDER SECRETARIES REPRESENTING THE MAJOR DEPARTMENTS AND UNITS. THE STEERING COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF ALL THE HOME OFFICE DEPUTY SECRETARIES. THE SECRETARIATE FOR THESE COMMITTEES IS THE PLANNING UNIT WHICH IS DESIGNED TO REFLECT A BROADER REPRESENTATION OF SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE, AND GENERATES PAPERS ON SUBJECTS UNDER REVIEW. THE INITIAL WORK OF THE CPPO WAS A STUDY OF PRISON POLICY OPTIONS AND ISSUES. SINCE THEN, SUBSTANTIAL TIME HAS BEEN DEVOTED TO DEVELOPMENTAL WORK ON THE BROADER ASPECTS OF CRIME PREVENTION. ADDITIONAL TOPICS STUDIED HAVE INCLUDED THE IMPROVEMENT OF FINANCIAL PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES, POLICE PROGRAM BUDGETING, FORECASTING IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AREAS, AND CORPORATE PLANNING TECHNIQUES ADAPTABLE TO HOME OFFICE NEEDS. A REGULAR REVIEW OF POLICIES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD IS ENVISIONED IN WHICH THE PLANNING UNIT'S WORK WILL INVOLVE DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS, AND PRESENTATION. (JAP)